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Maxon releases Cinema 4D R16

Cinema 4D R16 adds a typically diverse set of features to Maxon’s 3D app, including a new matchmoving system, the unclassifiable PolyPen tool, and better rendering and sculpting. Homepage image: Kingcoma.

Originally posted on 5 August. Scroll down for updates.

Maxon has announced Cinema 4D R16, another big update to the 3D package that adds a new matchmoving system, an interesting new geometry-painting-cum-retopo tool, and extends the rendering and sculpting features.

Cinema 4D R16 will be on show at Siggraph 2014 next week, and is due to ship later this year now shipping.

New multi-layered reflections, overhauled network rendering
Rendering tops Maxon’s feature list for R16, with a new Reflectance material channel that lets users create multi-layered materials with separate reflection properties for each layer, and render them as separate passes.

The PolyPen: a Swiss Army knife of a modelling tool
Of the new features, the most fun is probably the new PolyPen (above), which replaces the Create Polygon Tool.

It’s a Swiss Army Knife of a tool, with a range of uses – the demo video advertises over 25 functions and modes – including painting geometry or instances onto surfaces, and retopologising models freehand.

Other updates to the modelling tools include a new non-destructive Bevel Deformer; falloff settings for most other deformers; improved symmetry modelling; and a does-exactly-what-it-says Cogwheel Spline.

New 3D camera-tracking system, plus smaller features and fixes
Visual effects artists get the Motion Tracker: a new matchmoving system with the option to refine an automatic solve by masking regions of the footage, or setting up Position, Vector or Planar constraints.

There are also the usual range of miscellaneous features – including a ‘UV Peeler‘ for unwrapping cylindrical objects, quirkily enough – and workflow tweaks.